The Final Project from Santa's Workshop

This is the final project to come out of Santa's Workshop this year. We have been behind schedule for the past week because I have been spending most of my time working on dresses for the wedding, but felt that things were all under control, until I ended up in the hospital in the wee hours on the morning of Christmas Eve. I was grateful to be released later that day so that I could spend the holidays and upcoming wedding with my family. A special thanks to all of my married children who rushed over to my aid. They wrapped all of the gifts, made our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, helped clean for Christmas Day, and finish up the last of the Christmas gifts. They even helped Santa deliver and set up the gifts under the tree.

Here is the final project to come from Santa's workshop this year, a theatre for Brigitta. We transformed one that we had made for our older children years ago and gave it a complete face lift. This is what we came up with:

We are looking forward to many performances from

Brigitta and her nieces and nephews.

Thanks to everyone who helped save Christmas!

I am now back to sewing to get things finished for the wedding. I will blog later about our Christmas celebration. I have so much to be thankful for.

Birthday Celebration!

Happy Birthday Tati,

We Love You!

The Richest Man in Walnut Grove

As you know, my favorite TV series of all time is Little House on The Prairie. There is an episode entitled The Richest Man in Walnut Grove where Lars Hanson is forced to close the mill due to bankruptcy. This leaves Charles unable to pay his debt at the mercantile. Refusing to grovel to the haughty Harriet Olsen, he takes on three jobs, including digging in the mud and shoveling horse manure. Not only does he work hard, but his entire family pitches in. Mary leaves school to work as a seamstress while Laura takes over and does all of the chores. Caroline and Carrie tend to the house and the farming. When Charles is finally able to pay the bill, he and his family get dressed in their finest clothes and go as a family to the mercantile just to see the look on Mrs. Olsen’s’ face. She is quite surprised but her husband Nels is proud of the Ingalls family and how they sacrificed together, something he feels that his family would have never done. As Charles is carrying his provisions out to the wagon Mr. Olsen comments to Charles, “You are the richest man in Walnut Grove” and he was, however his riches came not in material objects but in love, the love of his family.

Please know that my intention is not to offend anyone, but I just wanted to share how blessed we have been lately.


Right after my piano recital ended last Saturday, I had a few families come up to tell me that they decided to quit while others wanted to take the month off. I was saddened, but understanding. It didn’t end there though, some waited and called the day of their lesson to break the news to me. One or two losses would have been fine, but SEVEN?

I received various excuses from:

• My children aren’t practicing as they should
• The economy is bad and times are hard
• You are very busy with the wedding and such this month, enjoy the time off, we will regroup in January
• I just can’t afford lessons and Christmas, see you next month……
  

These are difficult times for everyone and I understand, but because there was no notice given, it has been challenging news to handle because our family lives on such a tight budget.

BUT WAIT... HERE COMES THE BEST PART…..We did as Brigitta often mentions, "Let's find something to be glad about?" Of course she is glad about the extra time I have to spend with her now, but there is always good in every situation and I feel that we have been greatly blessed. We gathered together as a family and discussed our options a few days ago. The general consensus to alleviate our financial stress during this holiday season was a YARD SALE. Each member of the family went through their possessions and sacrificed what they could to make ends meet. Here is the outcome...

This has ended up being a wonderful experience and I feel that like Charles Ingalls’s, we are rich beyond measure because of our children and their willingness and enthusiasm to sacrifice. It is moments like these that help to draw families closer together. I am grateful for such lessons in life, they are character building.

Shantell and Paige also helped with the yard sale, but requested that NO pictures be posted of them. Teenagers!

Cake Mix Cookies

If you want an elegant cookies that tastes great and is easy to make, this is the cookie for you.

• 1 Chocolate flavored cake mix
• 1/2 Cup butter, softened
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 Cup chocolate chips***

Beat the eggs, softened butter and vanilla. Stir the cake mix in by hand until well blended. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.

Roll into walnut sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 35o degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

*** Instead of chocolate chips try adding, 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, coconut, M&M'S, white chocolate or anything else you can think of.



To dip the ends of the cookies you will need:

• 1-1/2 Cups white chocolate chips

Place white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Continuie to heat in increments of 10 seconds until it is smooth. Do not over cook it or it will become grainy and smell and taste scorched.

Now take your cooled cookie and dip the end of it into the chocolate coating. Sprinkle with:

• Crushed candy canes
• Red or green sprinkles
• Or chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, cinnamon candies etc.

For the "snow" look, dust cookies with powdered sugar.

These cookies create a beautiful display

that no one will be able to resist.

Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies

• 1 Spice flavored cake mix
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1-1/2 cups pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 cup pecans...optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray two baking sheets. Best the pumpkin, eggs, butter and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cake mix cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves until well blended. The texture will be creamy.

Drop by spoonfuls. Bake until the tops are firm when lightly touched. 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack and then drizzle with Browned Butter Frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Teaspoon corn syrup

Melt and brown butter in a small saucepan over low heat. When browned, mix in remaining ingredients. Place in a decorating bag and cut off the tip. Decorate cookies.

These have a cake-like texture and are full of flavor.

The browned butter frosting adds the perfect

compliment to the pumpkin taste.

It's Hard to Believe it's December When....

I harvested this from my garden this morning.

My Son, the SCOUTER

Kendricks greatest passion in life is SCOUTING.

He has grown up in a home where Scouting is a family tradition. It started back with his Grandad Petty who joined the Church because of the scouting program. Grandad dedicated his life to Scouting and while doing so instilled in his son, Mar-Kay, a love and dedication of the program which he has passed down to his sons.

Kendrick has three older brothers who all achieved the rank of Eagle at a young age. Each one of them went beyond the required 21 badges for Eagle and earned over 45 merit badges each. From a very early age Kendrick has longed to be a Scout like his brothers and wear the uniform. His ambition is to earn MORE Merit Badges than his brothers and the rank of Eagle before they did, an admirable goal. To say that he is serious about Scouting is an understatement.

Let me show you his Scouting bag.



He takes this everywhere with him! He even took it on vacation to San Francisco and asked his Aunt Natasha to help him with a badge. In his bag are the Merit Badge books he is currently working on as well as the ones he is planning on earning. He even carries a calendar where he keeps his appointment schedule with the counselors he is working with.




Last night was our Troop's Court of Honor. Kendrick was asked to MC the program.




He received 16 Merit Badges, TOTE'N CHIP, FIREM' CHIT, and World Conservation Award.



He also earned the rank of STAR. Kendrick is 12 and a half years old, has earned 34 merit badges and is working hard to achieve his goals.


After the award ceremony was over one of his fellow scouters approached him and said, "I know why you get so many awards, your Dad is a Scout Master and so he just signs everything for you."


All young men have the same opportunity as Kendrick. He seeks out, calls and makes appointments with different merit badge counselors whom he meets with on a weekly basis. Currently he is meeting with three different merit badge counselors, none of which are his parents. Many of them come to our home while I am teaching piano.




I wish I could say that I was the motivation behind Kendrick, but his love for Scouting and the examples of his family is what drives him. He is an amazing young man who has accomplished this all by himself.



If you want to know anything about Scouting, ask Kendrick he has researched it over and over and is a well of knowledge.

Puppy in Training